2 tight ends and the D or the O

One thing has been a dagger in the heart of the Dolphins defense for as long as Brady has been in the NFL, the two tight end offense and Miami's inability to prevent TE from destroying the defense. The Patriots doubled down on the TE position in FA. Looking to do what they did with Brady. Run an offense that's hard to cover by exploiting mismatches between the linebackers and the TE.

Miami, picking at 6 has two clear options. Running the same type of offense the Patriots run or drafting a linebacker that has the skills to cover a TE.

Who will it be, Pitts or Parsons? Offense or defense?

I have a feeling Smith or Waddle is the target at 6...Pitts may not get passed 4 and who knows where Parsons is going to go. I think the Phins made the trade knowing that they'll get one of the two receivers.

I just KNOW Jmp will have plenty to say if the Falcons actually take Pitts as high as 4, and I've already got my popcorn ready

The funny thing is, in almost all the mock drafts I've done Pitts really is selected before #6 by either the Falcons or Bengals. Hmmm...

I've got to figure the odds of both Pitts *and* Smith being nabbed before #6 have to be 10% or less though. If I'm Grier and the Panthers offer me a trade back to #8 I'd take it since it would be obvious they'd only make that trade to get a QB. No way would I trade down lower than that, though.

Myself, I'd be just as happy with Pitts, Smith or Chase. (On the latter, he was fantastic in 2019. Sky's the limit IMO; he and Smith are a clear top two to me, with Waddle, Marshall and maybe Bateman in tier two.) Such a deep WR group though. Even in these mocks there are fine options available into the 4th round.

DolFan 316 wrote:I just KNOW Jmp will have plenty to say if the Falcons actually take Pitts as high as 4, and I've already got my popcorn ready

The funny thing is, in almost all the mock drafts I've done Pitts really is selected before #6 by either the Falcons or Bengals. Hmmm...

I've got to figure the odds of both Pitts *and* Smith being nabbed before #6 have to be 10% or less though. If I'm Grier and the Panthers offer me a trade back to #8 I'd take it since it would be obvious they'd only make that trade to get a QB. No way would I trade down lower than that, though.

LOL It's not that I have anything against Pitts, it's just that TE is such a crapshoot. It's a very hard position to translate from college to the NFL, as you can see by looking at that list of drafted TEs. And you also have to consider how the TE will be used by the team that selects him. Kittle and Kelce are focal points of their respective offenses...but how many teams are really going to run their offense through a TE? It's rare. It's not something I'd expect the Dolphins, or the Falcons of Bengals for that matter, to do. In a typical offense, the TE is usually the third or fourth option on the average play. Do you really need to spend a top 10 pick on that?

And yes, I'd rather not trade past 8 if we do trade down.

Well, Pitts is not your "average" TE. He is as freakish a TE as Jevon "The Freak" Kearse was a DE IMO.

You could play him at WR and he would be a nightmare for the typical DB to cover. Two college DBs could not cover him most of the time.

That size and speed on that frame does not come along that often. 6-6 240 lbs and runs a 4.46!!!

Plus, he has terrific hands. Kyle Trask would just throw it in his area, even if he was double covered, and Pitts would go up and get it.

I would not "freak" out if the Phins drafted him at #6, but I seriously DOUBT the Phins would do it.

Draft orthodoxy says they will go OT or WR I am thinking. Maybe Parsons if they think he is not a nimrod.

so finfanatic, are you pushing the idea that Miami could recreate a Hernandez and Gronk type attack with Gisecki and Pitts? interesting.

mercury22nathan wrote:so finfanatic, are you pushing the idea that Miami could recreate a Hernandez and Gronk type attack with Gisecki and Pitts?  interesting.

The problem is, neither Pitts nor Gesicki is all that good of a blocker. Pitts is likely better, but he's nowhere near Gronk-level. That was the beauty of the Patriots' duo...Hernandez was essentially a WR, but Gronk was both a great receiver AND a great blocker. So when they were both on the field, the opposing defense still had to prepare for a pass or a run. With Gesicki and Pitts together, it's hard to imagine that we'd be running the ball much with that formation. It can work - just saying that it's not really the same as a Gronk-Hernandez pairing.

finfanatic wrote:Well, Pitts is not your "average" TE. He is as freakish a TE as Jevon "The Freak" Kearse was a DE IMO.

You could play him at WR and he would be a nightmare for the typical DB to cover.  Two college DBs could not cover him most of the time.

That size and speed on that frame does not come along that often. 6-6 240 lbs and runs a 4.46!!!  

Plus, he has terrific hands. Kyle Trask would just throw it in his area, even if he was double covered, and Pitts would go up and get it.

I would not "freak" out if the Phins drafted him at #6, but I seriously DOUBT the Phins would do it.

Draft orthodoxy says they will go OT or WR I am thinking. Maybe Parsons if they think he is not a nimrod.

Pitts really only dominated for one season, though. He averaged just under 50 yards a game in 2019, which is typical for a TE and really nothing special. Pat Freiermuth and Brevin Jordan can and did put up similar numbers, statistically. Now, Pitts was fantastic in 2020...no denying that. But you have to wonder why, if he's so special, he only had one great season? I guess it depends how his NFL team intends to use him.

Having a top 10 pick, you NEED to get it right. I just have some concerns that put Pitts below Smith - if I was calling the shots. And "concerns" is really too strong a word...maybe it's just a little bit of "doubt".

Pitts one good season - Mullins used Pitts like a TE early on. It was only after they started letting him run deep routes and sending him in motion that
he started showing how he was a matchup nightmare. Plus, Mullins likes to get everyone involved, so the other TEs who are all good too, get reps as well.
And once Mullins saw Pitts ability to beat man coverage, it became part of the gameplan to force the defense to cover Pitts which opened up other receivers.

I can understand the doubts, JMP. I would never say anyone is gonna be a HOFer in the NFL. There is a chance Pitts could be REALLY GOOD. But he could
be just a smallish TE as well.

No, I am not advocating a double TE offense. I was just saying that when the player is as freakishly athletic as Pitts, that you could look at it as if you were getting
someone who could line up on LBs and outrun them, when lined up on DBs, could outsize them and out jump them.

I doubt the Phins are even looking at Pitts.

finfanatic wrote:Pitts one good season - Mullins used Pitts like a TE early on. It was only after they started letting him run deep routes and sending him in motion that
he started showing how he was a matchup nightmare. Plus, Mullins likes to get everyone involved, so the other TEs who are all good too, get reps as well.
And once Mullins saw Pitts ability to beat man coverage, it became part of the gameplan to force the defense to cover Pitts which opened up other receivers.

I can understand the doubts, JMP. I would never say anyone is gonna be a HOFer in the NFL. There is a chance Pitts could be REALLY GOOD. But he could
be just a smallish TE as well.  

No, I am not advocating a double TE offense. I was just saying that when the player is as freakishly athletic as Pitts, that you could look at it as if you were getting
someone who could line up on LBs and outrun them, when lined up on DBs, could outsize them and out jump them.

I doubt the Phins are even looking at Pitts.

That's good info, FF. While I do see some Florida games because they are on TV a lot, I certainly don't know the behind-the-scenes stuff.

I do think Pitts is in play for the Phins. I'm not sure how high they have him, but I bet he's in their top 3.